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Readings from Latin Verse.
by Curtis C. Bushnell.
INTRODUCTORY NOTE.
THIS little book has been prepared to meet the needs of my own cla.s.ses.
The selections have been made primarily with reference to their literary merit, but also with the intention of introducing the student to a number of authors not usually read in the earlier portion of the college course.
The notes are greatly indebted to the works named under the heading, 'Reference.'
I am under obligations to Professor E. C. Morris of Syracuse University for the correction of the ma.n.u.script of the notes, and to Mr. N. L.
Willey, Syracuse University, 1908, for a.s.sistance in proof-reading.
C. C. B.
SYRACUSE, N.Y.
READINGS FROM LATIN VERSE.
CLa.s.sICAL LATIN POETRY.
I. ENNIUS.
FROM THE ANNALS.
_1. The Lament for Romulus._
Pectora fida tenet desiderium: simul inter sese sic memorant, 'o Romule, Romule die, qualem te patriae custodem di genuerunt!
O pater, o genitor, o sanguen dis oriundum, tu produxisti nos intra luminis oras.' 5
_2. Pyrrhus dismissing the Prisoners without Ransom._
Nec mi aurum posco nec mi pretium dederitis: nec cauponantes bellum sed belligerantes ferro, non auro, vitam cernamus utrique.
Vosne velit an me regnare era quidve ferat Fors virtute experiamur. Et hoc simul accipe dictum: 5 quorum virtuti belli fortuna pepercit eorundem libertati me parcere certumst.
Dono ducite doque volentibus c.u.m magnis dis.
_3. M.' Curius._
Quem nemo ferro potuit superare nec auro.
_4. Q. Fabius Maximus._
Unus h.o.m.o n.o.bis cunctando rest.i.tuit rem; noenum rumores ponebat ante salutem; ergo plusque magisque viri nunc gloria claret.
_5. The Strength of Rome._
Moribus antiquis res stat Romana virisque.
FROM THE TRAGEDIES.
_6. A Bereaved Father's Fort.i.tude._
ego c.u.m genui, tum morituros scivi et ei re sustuli.
Praeterea ad Troiam c.u.m misi ob defendendam Graeciam, scibam me in mortiferum bellum, non in epulas mittere.
_7. 'G.o.ds Careless of Mankind.'_
ego deum genus esse semper dixi et dicam caelitum, sed eos non curare opinor, quid agat humanum genus; nam si curent, bene bonis sit, male malis; quod nunc abest.
FROM THE EPIGRAMS.
_8. Ennius' Epitaph._
Nemo me dacrumis decoret nec funera fletu faxit. Cur? Volito vivus per ora virum.
II. LUCRETIUS.
_1. 'Things unattempted yet in Prose or Rhyme.'_
Nunc age quod superest cognosce et clarius audi.
Nec me animi fallit quam sint obscura; sed acri percussit thyrso laudis spes magna meum cor et simul incussit suavem mi pectus amorem musarum, quo nunc instinctus mente vigenti 5 avia Pieridum peragro loca nullius ante trita solo. Iuvat integros accedere fontes atque haurire, iuvatque novos decerpere flores insignemque meo capiti petere inde coronam unde prius nulli velarint tempora musae; 10 primum quod magnis doceo de rebus et artis religionum animum nodis exsolvere pergo, deinde quod obscura de re tam lucida pango carmina, musaeo contingens cuncta lepore.
_De Rerum Natura I. 931-934._
_2. The Praise of Epicurus._
E tenebris tantis tam clarum extollere lumen qui primus potuisti inl.u.s.trans commoda vitae, te sequor, o Graiae gentis decus, inque tuis nunc ficta pedum pono pressis vestigia signis, non ita certandi cupidus quam propter amorem 5 quod te imitari aveo; quid enim contendat hirundo cycnis, aut quidnam tremulis facere artubus haedi consimile in cursu possint et fortis equi vis?
Tu, pater, es rerum inventor, tu patria n.o.bis suppeditas praecepta, tuisque ex, inclute, chartis, 10 floriferis ut apes in saltibus omnia libant, omnia nos itidem depascimur aurea dicta, aurea, perpetua semper dignissima vita.
Nam simul ac ratio tua coepit vociferari naturam rerum, divina mente coorta, 15 diffugiunt animi terrores, moenia mundi discedunt, totum video per inane geri res.
Apparet divum numen sedesque quietae quas neque concutiunt venti nec nubila nimbis aspergunt neque nix acri concreta pruina 20 cana cadens violat semperque innubilus aether integit, et large diffuso lumine rident.
Omnia suppeditat porro natura neque ulla res animi pacem delibat tempore in ullo.
At contra nusquam apparent Acherusia templa 25 nec tellus obstat quin omnia dispiciantur, sub pedibus quaec.u.mque infra per inane geruntur.
His ibi me rebus quaedam divina voluptas percipit adque horror, quod sic natura tua vi tam manifesta patens ex omni parte retecta est. 30 _Id. III. 1-30._
_3. The Changing Seasons._
It ver et Venus, et veris praenuntius ante pennatus graditur zephyrus, vestigia propter Flora quibus mater praespargens ante viai cuncta coloribus egregiis et odoribus opplet.
Inde loci sequitur calor aridus et comes una 5 pulverulenta Ceres _et_ etesia flabra aquilonum.
